SUMMER OF PRAYER
JOURNAL | WEEK SEVEN
OVERCOME THE ENEMY
07.22.2022
Disclaimer: I tried to rewrite this entry about 10 times. I didn't want to appear negative. But I couldn't rewrite it. I couldn't write anything else period. This morning I awoke to a video from a prophetic person that I follow, and it started with "Get violent with the enemy." My entry literally says this. How great is the Lord to send exactly what is needed at the moment it is needed! Thank You, Lord.
Before Jesus, the Israelites warred against darkness differently. They literally went to battle against their enemies.....swords, armor, chariots, the whole nine yards. To entertain evil was to directly insult the Lord, and they were looking for a warrior as a Messiah. But Jesus was not that kind of a warrior!
He is kind and compassionate. He is full of grace and mercy. He died for us sinners who are undeserving of such a sacrifice. He forgives us when we cannot even forgive ourselves. Because He is our King, His enemy is our enemy. And that enemy doesn't play fair.
You know the enemy takes cheap shots. And you know the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. So let's get real for a minute....
The attacks against me were so bad this week that I didn't even want to come to church. The enemy would love me to feel shame in saying that, but it is honest and real. I was devastated for no reason. I was crying uncontrollably. I felt defeated, and a heaviness was sitting on top of me.
So I got angry! Not at God or church, but at the enemy. At the devil. At all the forces that were pushing against me. And I pushed back. I wish I could tell you that it wasn't messy, but it was messy. I had to fight hard to get my mind right. I had to repent for some things I was feeling and saying to myself. I had to push my pride down and say "I need help, Jesus!" We are told to capture our thoughts and think about good things, but this came out of nowhere. It was fast. Once I could see through the fog, I knew I was under attack; but it took me a hot minute to figure it out.
So let's get even more real for a second:
• Hell is a real place.
• There is a real enemy working against the Kingdom of God.
• The more intimate you become with the Lord, the harder the enemy attacks you.
• The more people you seek to bring into the Kingdom, the harder the unseen realms start to war against you.
• Spiritual warfare can be very difficult. It isn't embarrassing. You do not have to war alone.
• Witchcraft is real and not everyone sitting in the church is your friend. Discernment is critical.
• Deception is rampant, and you need to know what the Bible really says.
OK, so now we are angry at this unseen enemy. What next? Get violent with the enemy. Make bold prayers and be like the persistent woman with the judge. Keep bringing your prayers before the Father. Fight through prayer, through worship, through scripture, through intercession. Intercede for your mind, heart, body, spirit, and your soul, intercede for your spouse and children, and intercede for your home. Intercede for your community, intercede for the schools, for youth, anything that the Holy Spirit lays on your heart. Pray for your church and church leaders. Pray for a right and just government. Make bold requests. Pray for the entire state, the entire country, or the entire world. Pray for the entire Church! Know how you feel and understand that someone else is probably feeling the exact same way at the exact time and fight against that with prayer. Approach the throne like Peter says in Acts 4 and request boldness to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ:
"And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Acts of the Apostles 4:29-30
Share your testimonies with others. Prophesy and pray with strangers- believers and non-believers. Seek guidance from the Holy Spirit on needs in the community or church. If you see a need, run to it. The Lord may have something great in store for you, but you have to step into the authority given to you to do it. Do you know your authority in Christ? Ask him to know and understand it. It is necessary for this battle with the dark side. One of the biggest things that pulled me out of this attack was speaking the truths of Jesus to a fellow believer. It released something inside of me. It kicked all that negative and bad gunk out of me.
Request the gift of discernment. It is absolutely critical. Discernment is the ability to tell if spirits are of the Kingdom of God or not. Because in honesty, you are either for God or against Him. There isn't a gray area or a middle ground; that is a deception. And not everyone you come in contact with has your best interest at heart. I am not saying you can't trust anyone.
But, you can trust the Spirit of Truth! Always seek the Lord.
We are told to test the spirits. What I typically see is we either test too much or not enough, and we forget to invite the Holy Spirit into the equation. We judge people by the outward and call it discernment. That isn't discernment. We should seek the knowledge of Jesus. He will tell us. I have literally had visions where the Lord exposed exactly what spirit I was dealing with. From there I could move in a different way that was more proper for the Kingdom. I wasn't relying on my feelings or perceived discernment. I knew.
So get angry then go to war! Don't just get angry and sit in it. Do something. Pray it out loud. Move the Father's heart. Shake the enemy up. Tremble before the Father then war with Him.
Lord,
I thank You that we can come before Your throne with bold prayers. I thank You that You chose to use us in Your Kingdom. You are so grand and so majestic. You don't need our help, but You chose to war with us.
Help us to understand our duty to the Kingdom. Help us to understand how to pray properly. Help us to be bold before You so that we can pull heaven down to earth and shift atmospheres with You. Align our hearts with Your heart. Lord, I want the things that break Your heart to break my heart. And I want to fight the battles You want me to fight in. Help me to not get distracted by the fake worldly battles that are meant to wear us out and aren't needed in the Kingdom. Help us to stop dividing the Kingdom over nonsense issues. May we be united as a Kingdom.
No war was ever won by a kingdom warring against itself and an enemy. Lord, increase our gift of discernment so that we can understand Your spiritual realms better. May we know when the enemy is working so that we can war against it. May the spiritual realms become as real to Your Church as breathing. Search our hearts and remove our pride.
May we bow before the King and fight for Your Kingdom. Keep us nameless so we can never take credit for any of it. May we never think we are too advanced for warring with prayer. Help us to know and wear the armor of God. Lord, we love You. We may not always understand, but I pray that won't ever stop us. I pray we seek Your guidance and Your heart when situations arise. I plead Your blood over my mind, my heart, my soul, spirit, and body. I cover my entire being in Your blood, Jesus. I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus.
Amen,
Sara B.